Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: Where Do Public Libraries Stand?

Abstract

This paper aims to identify how public libraries used Twitter in the initial months after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Content analysis was performed on a dataset of 9,450 tweets published by 38 public libraries in New York City between December 2019 and April 2020. The study showed that 85.5% of the tweets published by NYC public libraries were related to regular library communications, such as announcements of library service updates, book recommendations, suggested readings and activities, celebrations of specific occasions or individuals, and notices of upcoming events. Meanwhile, 14.5% of the tweets published from January/April 2020 were directly and explicitly related to COVID-19. NYC public libraries posted details of the remote library services available during the closure, as well as comforting and socially supportive messages, and provided information about the financial, health, and food-related support available to the community. The findings suggest that during the pandemic, NYC public libraries mostly continued to conduct business as usual and, in doing so, may have brought a valuable feeling of normalcy to the communities they serve during those problematic and strained days.

Use of Twitter by a Public Library During the Pandemic

“…For example: Martínez-Cardama and Pacios (2020) analyzed the use of Twitter in the Spanish university libraries "during the first weeks of the state of alarm" (p.1). Wang and Lund (2020) analyzed online announcements posted (March 14-April 12, 2020) by ten US public libraries, while Alajmi and Albudaiwi (2020) examined the use of Twitter (between December 2019-April 2020) by the New York City public libraries.…”

“…The physical closure of branches due to the pandemic caused disruption to 'in-person' library services requiring the library to readjust and adapt to changing circumstances (Martínez-Cardama and Pacios 2020). The library made a concerted effort to share important and time-sensitive information related to library operations, access to various kinds of digital resources, and deliver programs and services remotely (Alajmi and Albudaiwi 2020). The public library was also going beyond by sharing the pandemic-related important information (e.g., mask making, and strategies to reduce COVID-19 spread) with its community members using Twitter (Martínez-Cardama and Pacios 2020; Wang and Lund 2020; Alajmi and Albudaiwi 2020).…”

Samfunnsoppdrag under press

“…Det vi ser fra tidligere studier av biblioteks krisehåndtering tyder på at det hersker usikkerhet om hvilken rolle bibliotekene skal ta (Zach, 2011), med mindre de på forhånd er inkludert i lokal kriseberedskap (Bishop & Veil, 2013;Braunstein et al, 2012). I mangel på retningslinjer, fokuserer det enkelte bibliotek på sine kjernetjenester og -oppgaver, og det er også det som kommuniseres til publikum (Alajmi & Albudaiwi, 2020;Tammaro, 2020;Zach, 2011). Selv om bibliotekenes potensial understrekes, avdekker altså disse studiene utfordringer ved bibliotekenes evne og mulighet til krisehåndtering.…”

Supporting Social Connectedness of Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Small and Rural Public Libraries

“…The advent of the pandemic required most public libraries to recalibrate how they operated and served their varying constituencies (Alajmi and Albudaiwi 2020;Goddard 2020), with many turning, at least initially, to the use of digital technologies as a primary means of staying connected with communities (Chase 2021). While there have been numerous studies on the role of public libraries during the pandemic (Garner et al 2021), few if any have examined how public libraries helped maintain social connectedness for older adults during the pandemic.…”